Urinary Incontinence Treatment for Bladder Control Problems
Urinary incontinence is the unintentional leakage of urine. It can happen during physical activity, after a sudden urge to urinate, without warning, or when the bladder does not empty properly. For some people, leakage occurs occasionally. For others, it can interfere with sleep, exercise, work, travel, intimacy, and everyday activities.
At the Center for Advanced Urology, Stuart M. Diamond, MD, FACS, evaluates urinary leakage in the context of your symptoms, medical history, medications, previous treatments, and overall health. The goal is to identify the type and possible cause of your incontinence before determining which treatment options may be appropriate.
Urinary incontinence is not a single condition. Stress incontinence, urgency incontinence, mixed incontinence, overflow incontinence, and other forms of bladder control problems can require different approaches to treatment.
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What Is Urinary Incontinence?
Urinary incontinence occurs when urine leaks unintentionally. The pattern of leakage can provide important information about what may be causing the problem.
Some people leak when coughing, sneezing, laughing, lifting, exercising, or changing position. Others experience a sudden, difficult-to-control urge to urinate followed by leakage. Some may leak without feeling an urge at all or experience dribbling because the bladder does not empty completely.
Because different types of urinary incontinence have different causes, treatment starts with determining what is happening with your bladder and urinary tract.
Types of Urinary Incontinence
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Stress Urinary Incontinence
Stress urinary incontinence occurs when physical pressure on the bladder causes urine to leak. Common triggers include:
- Coughing
- Sneezing
- Laughing
- Lifting
- Exercising
- Bending or other physical activity
Stress incontinence can be associated with weakened pelvic floor muscles or changes affecting the bladder outlet and urethra. It can occur in both women and men, although the contributing factors may differ.
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Urgency Urinary Incontinence
Urgency urinary incontinence occurs when a sudden, strong need to urinate is followed by urine leakage before you reach the bathroom.
Urgency incontinence is commonly associated with overactive bladder (OAB). Symptoms may also include frequent urination and waking during the night to urinate.
Treatment for urgency incontinence may include behavioral strategies, bladder training, medication, nerve stimulation, or other therapies depending on the individual's symptoms and response to treatment.
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Mixed Urinary Incontinence
Some people experience both stress and urgency incontinence. This is called mixed urinary incontinence.
For example, you may leak when you cough or exercise while also experiencing sudden urges that result in leakage. When both patterns are present, treatment may need to address more than one contributing factor.
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Overflow Incontinence
Overflow incontinence occurs when the bladder does not empty completely and becomes overly full, resulting in leakage.
This type of incontinence can be associated with problems that interfere with bladder emptying, including urinary blockage or other conditions affecting bladder function. Evaluation is important because treatment may need to address the reason the bladder is not emptying properly.
Other Forms of Bladder Control Problems
Urine leakage can also occur without a typical sensation of urgency or in situations where a person has difficulty reaching the bathroom because of physical or cognitive limitations.
Nerve conditions can also interfere with communication between the bladder, spinal cord, and brain, affecting normal bladder control.
What Causes Urinary Incontinence?
Urinary incontinence can have many possible causes. The underlying issue may involve the bladder, urethra, pelvic floor, nerves, prostate, medications, or another health condition.
Factors that may contribute to bladder control problems include:
Temporary urinary leakage can also occur with certain short-term health problems or changes in medications. Identifying the cause is therefore an important part of choosing treatment.
Urinary incontinence does not always present as constant leakage. You may want to discuss your symptoms with a urologist if you experience:
- Urine leakage during coughing, sneezing, laughing, or exercise
- Sudden urges that are difficult to control
- Leakage before reaching the bathroom
- Frequent urination
- Waking repeatedly at night to urinate
- Leakage without warning
- Difficulty starting urination
- A feeling that your bladder does not empty completely
- Dribbling after urination
- Changes in bladder control following surgery or another medical condition
Keeping track of when leakage occurs and what you were doing at the time can help your physician identify patterns.
There is no single test used for every type of urinary incontinence. Dr. Diamond begins by discussing your symptoms and medical history and may perform a physical examination.
Your evaluation may include questions about:
- When leakage occurs
- How often leakage happens
- Whether you feel an urge before leaking
- Activities that trigger leakage
- Daytime and nighttime urination
- Fluid intake
- Previous surgeries or procedures
- Medications
- Previous treatments
- Other urinary symptoms
A bladder diary can provide useful information about your symptoms. You may be asked to record when you drink fluids, when you urinate, how often leakage occurs, and whether you experienced an urge before a leak. This information can help identify patterns and establish a baseline for evaluating treatment.
Depending on your symptoms and medical history, additional testing may be recommended.
Testing can include urine testing, measurement of urine remaining in the bladder after urination, urodynamic testing, cystoscopy, or imaging in selected circumstances. The purpose is to identify or rule out conditions that may be contributing to bladder control problems.
Treatment depends on the type of incontinence, its underlying cause, the severity of symptoms, previous treatments, and your individual circumstances.
Not everyone needs the same treatment. Some patients may improve with conservative measures, while others may require medication, minimally invasive treatment, or surgery.
Depending on the type of incontinence, your physician may recommend changes such as bladder training, scheduled bathroom trips, fluid-management strategies, or other behavioral approaches.
Bladder training can help some patients gradually increase the time between bathroom visits and develop better control over urgency. Your physician may also discuss lifestyle factors that could be contributing to your symptoms.
Pelvic floor muscle exercises can help strengthen muscles involved in bladder control. These exercises may be particularly relevant for some patients with stress urinary incontinence.
If you are unsure whether you are using the correct muscles, a healthcare professional or pelvic floor physical therapist can help you learn the appropriate technique.
Medication may be considered for certain types of urinary incontinence, particularly urgency incontinence and overactive bladder symptoms.
The choice of medication depends on your symptoms, medical history, other medications, and potential side effects. Your physician can determine whether medication is appropriate and monitor your response.
For some patients with urgency incontinence or overactive bladder symptoms, electrical nerve stimulation may be considered when other treatments have not provided enough relief.
One option is Urgent® PC Therapy, which uses percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS) during a series of office-based treatments. PTNS is specifically relevant to certain overactive bladder symptoms and is not a treatment for every type of urinary incontinence.
The Center for Advanced Urology can determine whether this approach fits your symptoms and treatment history.
Depending on the type and cause of urinary incontinence, other minimally invasive treatments may be considered.
For example, selected patients with urgency incontinence may be candidates for bladder Botox or other forms of neuromodulation. Patients with stress incontinence may have different treatment options directed at supporting or improving control of the urethra.
The appropriate treatment depends on the diagnosis rather than simply the presence of urine leakage.
Surgery may be considered when other treatments have not provided adequate improvement or when the underlying condition requires a procedural solution.
The surgical approach depends on the type of incontinence and whether the patient is male or female, as well as the cause of the leakage and previous procedures.
Dr. Diamond can discuss the potential benefits, limitations, and risks of appropriate surgical options after evaluating your condition.
Urgent® PC Therapy may be considered for appropriately selected patients whose urinary symptoms are related to overactive bladder and urgency incontinence.
PTNS uses a small needle electrode near the posterior tibial nerve at the ankle to deliver controlled electrical stimulation. Unlike an implanted sacral neuromodulation system, PTNS does not require a permanently implanted neurostimulator.
Treatment is performed during recurring office visits, and patients who respond may require maintenance therapy.
Because urinary leakage can have many causes, PTNS is not automatically appropriate for every patient with incontinence. The Center for Advanced Urology evaluates the pattern and cause of your symptoms before recommending this or another treatment option.
Urinary Incontinence Treatment in South Jersey & Philadelphia
Center for Advanced Urology provides evaluation and treatment for urinary incontinence and other bladder-control problems.
Salem
MOORESTOWN
If urinary leakage is affecting your daily life, contact the practice to discuss your symptoms and available treatment options.
When Should You Seek Treatment for Urinary Leakage?
Urinary leakage is common, but it is not something you have to simply accept. Treatment may help reduce symptoms and improve daily activities, depending on the cause.
Consider discussing your symptoms with a urologist if leakage is:
You should also seek medical evaluation for urinary symptoms such as blood in the urine, painful urination, inability to empty the bladder, or significant changes in urination because these symptoms can have causes beyond urinary incontinence.
Why Choose Center for Advanced Urology?
Treating urinary incontinence starts with identifying the pattern of leakage and determining what may be causing it.
Stuart M. Diamond, MD, FACS, is a board-certified urologist with more than 30 years of urologic experience. At the Center for Advanced Urology, he considers your symptoms, medical history, previous treatments, and overall health when developing an appropriate treatment plan.
The practice provides urologic care to patients throughout the South Jersey and Philadelphia regions.
Whether your symptoms involve stress leakage, urgency, mixed symptoms, or another bladder-control problem, an evaluation can help determine which treatment approaches may be appropriate.
Our Clinics
The Center for Advanced Urology provides urinary incontinence and bladder-control care at two clinic locations, each serving the communities listed below.
Moorestown
Salem
Urinary Incontinence FAQs
Urinary incontinence is the accidental leakage of urine. It can occur for different reasons and may present as leakage during physical activity, sudden urgency followed by leakage, leakage without warning, or leakage related to incomplete bladder emptying.
Common types include stress urinary incontinence, urgency urinary incontinence, mixed urinary incontinence, overflow incontinence, and other forms related to nerve or functional problems.
Treatment depends on the type and cause of the leakage. Options may include behavioral changes, bladder training, pelvic floor exercises, medication, nerve stimulation, other minimally invasive treatments, or surgery when appropriate.
Leakage during coughing, sneezing, laughing, lifting, or exercise is commonly associated with stress urinary incontinence. An evaluation can help determine whether stress incontinence or another condition is responsible for your symptoms.
Sudden urgency followed by leakage is characteristic of urgency urinary incontinence and may occur with overactive bladder. Other conditions can produce similar symptoms, so evaluation is important before choosing treatment.
Yes. Men can experience urinary incontinence for several reasons, including prostate problems, previous prostate surgery or radiation, neurological conditions, and other bladder or urinary tract issues.
Yes. Urinary incontinence can affect women for many reasons, including pregnancy and childbirth, menopause, pelvic floor changes, neurological conditions, and other health factors.
Urinary incontinence becomes more common with age, but leakage should not automatically be considered an unavoidable part of getting older. Different causes can contribute to bladder control problems, and treatment depends on the underlying issue.
No. Urgent® PC is a PTNS treatment used for certain symptoms associated with overactive bladder and urgency incontinence. It is not a universal treatment for every type or cause of urinary leakage.
That is one reason an evaluation is important. Your physician can review your symptoms and medical history and may recommend additional testing to determine what is contributing to the leakage.
Contact Us
Discuss Your Urinary Incontinence Treatment Options
Urinary leakage can have different causes, and identifying the type of incontinence is an important step toward choosing appropriate treatment. Whether leakage occurs with activity, follows a sudden urge, happens without warning, or is associated with difficulty emptying the bladder, an evaluation can help clarify what is happening.
At the Center for Advanced Urology, Dr. Stuart Diamond evaluates urinary symptoms and considers both conservative and procedural treatment options based on your individual condition. If urgency incontinence or overactive bladder is contributing to your symptoms, treatments such as Urgent® PC may be considered when appropriate.
Call Center for Advanced Urology at (856) 339-4466 to schedule an evaluation.
